Shut Down the River

Those were the headlines last night - Chicago River Shut Down.

Now it's merely "closed to river traffic" for a short while:

• Chicago Police temporarily closed the Chicago River while they investigated a suspicious package near Wabash Avenue and Wacker Drive just north of the Loop.

  Authorities later determined the package to be abandoned luggage, officials said.

  Police were called to the area about 6 p.m. and closed traffic on the river downtown while the police Bomb and Arson Unit investigated, according to Police News Affairs.

Any bets on the Over/Under for suspicious packages this week? It's prudent to check them all, but it's also a tactic favored by the protestors to tie stuff up.

More Protest News (UPDATE)

More arrests:

• Four protesters have been arrested after a demonstration outside a downtown Chicago building that houses a federal immigration court.

  Dozens picketed Tuesday, one of many protests planned in the days leading up to the NATO summit. The gathering of heads of state begins this weekend.

Some quick guilty pleas:

• Four peace protesters arrested yesterday for trespassing at President Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters each pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor trespassing charge and were released with sentences ranging from time served – about 36 hours – to court supervision.
  
  A fifth defendant, Rogers Park resident Chris Spicer, 29, pleaded not guilty to trespassing but will remain in jail after he declined to pay a $100 bond...

And McCarthy finally reveals some of the plan:

• Despite extraordinary police resources devoted to the NATO Summit, Chicago neighborhoods will get a 15 percent increase in police protection this weekend, thanks to 12-hour shifts and the decision to cancel days off, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Tuesday.

  Normally, Chicago Police officers work three shifts or “tours” of eight-hour shifts. Starting at midnight Friday and continuing through Monday, officers will switch to 12-hour shifts. And nobody will be allowed to take days off.

So the days off are canceled, Friday, Saturday and Sunday? No word on start times though. The order still seems to be under construction and "fluid" in nature.

Fluid means "no idea what's going to happen."

UPDATE: Saturday & Sunday only at this point. 12 hour days Friday, but no idea how they're dividing up manpower or manning extra cars. Monday is completely up in the air as the anarchist websites claim they're sticking around for a bit after Sunday.

"Wrap Around" Strategy

It sounds like a big warm hug, doesn't it?

• Under fire for a 52 percent surge in Chicago homicides that’s costing him black support, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday unveiled a “wrap-around” strategy designed to saturate high-crime neighborhoods with city and social services after police clear out the drug markets.

  Emanuel has been promising to deliver the “social network” to support police efforts since January, when Police Supt. Garry McCarthy announced plans to stop the bleeding by targeting gangs and drug markets in the city’s two most violent districts.

  The idea was to saturate the Englewood and Harrison Districts with resources, put the gangs and drug markets out of business, round up the fugitives and make the clean-up permanent with help from a “network of community, faith-based and government resources.”

Wasn't this tried and discarded a few years ago? Distressed Neighborhood programs and the like? This is something like our third time through the same old song and dance. Some of our truly old-time readers have probably been through this grinder a half-a-dozen times and more.

(A) At least Rahm is admitting it's all about the votes.

(B) Can we admit that McCrossbowRescue's strategies are an unmitigated failure? A 52% increase in homicides? Lord knows how high up shootings are. 003 is out of control, 007 is still 007, shootings up just about everywhere and medical science keeping us from drowning in the blood.

And if anyone really believes that every other crime category is down, contrary to the homicide and shooting numbers, you're drinking waaaaay too much kool-aid.

Thousands!

CBS spouting the protestors line:

• This week, you might as well call Chicago the protest capital of the world.

  Activists are coming here from across the country for the NATO summit, along with their signs, and guitars, and bandanas.

  [...] Behind the walls of a borrowed apartment in Pilsen, two out-of-staters are planning their week leading up to the NATO summit.

"...two out-of-staters..." That's the "thousands" so far. Of course, CBS has been on the protestors' side since Dan Rather got lumped in Chicago 44 years ago.

It's still early in the protest week, and the big dates aren't until this weekend. It's building, but is it building fast enough for the protestors to live up to their hype?

Sun Times Trolling for Story

We, along with other bloggers, have gotten e-mails relating that the Sun Times is going to injured firefighters' and police officers' houses and attempting to interview them about their duty status. No idea what they're looking for and no idea if they've been filming people prior to the interviews.

Along with the pension attacks and upcoming contract negotiations, we can only imagine what's cooking.

Sporadic Posting

Obviously, every one's schedule is going to take a hit this coming week. That includes all of us here at SCC. Posting may be interrupted, off schedule, sporadic, whatever. We'll try to keep up and our retired members have offered to pitch in, schedule permitting.

Bear with us and be safe.

It Begins

And the lack of preparedness comes to the fore immediately:

• SCC, just so you know according to the NATO protest/occupy chicago website the official protesting started about one hour ago. The first official protest will be a small one infront of obama headquarters tomorrow at 8am downtown on randolph street.... There is absolutly no order out... also, to the police officers out there in 009.. Im sure nobody has told you yet but there is going to be an anti cpd/anti jon burge march from 51 and halsted down to the 9th district station tuesday May 15th from 6pm till midnight. If you dont believe me then here is the link to the complete link of protests that are planned and the specific times. Since downtown isnt giving anyone a heads up I will.... here is the link to the events page:
  
  http://natoprotest.org/events/
  
  here is the link to the anti police/jon burge march to 009th district:
  
  http://natoprotest.org/article/ftpanti-capitalist-militant-march/
  
  and here is the link of the route map they will be taking for the anti police march on the 15th of may:
  
  http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=51st+and+halsted%2C+chicago&daddr=31st+and+halsted%2C+chicago&hl=en&ll=41.819815%2C-87.64575&spn=0.037228%2C0.084543&sll=41.815082%2C-87.633476&sspn=0.03723%2C0.084543&geocode=FWzXfQIdd6PG-inVEYJ7kS4OiDEeA1zdtH5tgQ%3BFdNlfgId1p_G-inFvKmvRywOiDFlLkbAMCkWug&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=ls&z=14
  
  ******BEWARE... SOME OF THE EVENTS THEY ARE HOLDING ARE TITLED: HOW TO DISARM AND POLICE OFFICER AND ANTI POLICE BRUTALITY MEETING.. THEY ARE ALSO BEING PREPPED BY CIVIL ATTORNEYS THIS WEEK******
  
  Also, it appears that after the nurses march on friday the 18th there is going to be an even larger, unscheduled and non permit march through out all of downtown with no planned route.. obviously to screw up friday rush hour traffic... they are encouraged to "make as much noise as possible".
  
  They are also going to attempt to protest and infiltrate the first pitch at the cubs/white sox game friday night because NATO general John allen will be throwing out the first pitch at the game.
  
  The Blac Bloc will be marching with the main protest group at noon sunday. A day they are calling on for "chaos" and disorder in chicago. The blac bloc says they will create a "blac hurricane in chicago" on sunday and monday.
  
  monday 5/21 they are going to do a "shut down boeing" mission then tuesday another protest of the wars and on wednesday(after the Nato summit ends) its not going to end for us.. they are calling for a Mass rally and protest to take back chicago at 4pm at daley plaza. this could be a long week if they get enough numbers together.

And the first report from the front lines:

• funny, because today in 001 on days we had to respond to 130 randolph which is obama campaign hq. there were about 100 protesters. Nobody in 001 knew that this protest was going to happen and were caught off guard when the call came out. there were only about 80 protesters but they were able to cause havoc and shut the building down because they stormed the lobby. 8 got locked up and the protest only lasted about 2 hours but for us it took about 45 min to get organized and get a plan together. Its a joke. there are gonna be about 30 thousand here starting on friday... its gonna be a mess.

Strap in boys and girls.

Secret Weapon Revealed

Well, not so secret since Channel 7 is broadcasting it all over the place:

• The LRAD, which stands for Long Range Acoustic Device, projects sound in a 30-degree cone. It's capable of being heard with significant clarity a kilometer away from the speaker.
  
  "We're able to broadcast over a great distance. It's clearly understood. there's no miscommunication. It's more effective than using a bullhorn," said Sergeant Chris Bielfeldt, Chicago Police.
  
  The Chicago Police Department has purchased two LRAD units at $20,000 a piece. Their inaugural use may come NATO weekend as a means of delivering clear messages to crowds. There are 13 recorded messages which are meant to give fair warning to police directives, and an LRAD operator can also give live specific orders.
  
  The LRAD can also emit high pitched alarm tones, which are not fun for the ear.

Of course, echoing all over downtown, we're sure that the Department is supplying all of us with appropriate ear protection. Common sense right?

79th Street Again

What is it about that crazy part of town?

• Two people were injured in a multi-vehicle collision that followed a three-mile police chase this afternoon, authorities said.

  Both injured people were taken in serious-to-critical condition from the crash that occurred on 95th Street just west of Halsted Street to Advocate Christ Medical Center at about 1 p.m., said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Chief Joe Roccasalva.

  The pursuit began near the 7900 Block of South Hermitage Avenue a few minutes before 1 p.m. and ended just minutes later, said Chicago Police News Affairs...

79th Street would be a perfect place for speed cameras, red light cameras, speed humps, Jersey barriers, curb bump-outs, traffic circles, twelve inch curbs, built in spike strips, tiger pits, random land mines, axle-buster potholes and near constant construction barricades.

For starters.

Hahahaha

Priceless:

• A man was shot early this morning after he broke down the door to the home his wife and her current boyfriend share in the Fernwood neighborhood on the Far South Side, police said.

  The man, 49, was in serious condition this morning at Advocate Christ Medical Center after he was shot about 4:30 a.m. in the 10300 block of South Emerald Avenue, said Chicago Police Department News Affairs [...]. Police reports call the wounded man the woman's husband.

  The woman and her boyfriend were in the house when her husband arrived and began shouting for them to "Let me in" as he kicked the door and shouted profanities, [...]. The man kicked in the door, got into the home and was shot by the boyfriend...

Later news reports describe the offender as the "ex-husband." Lucky he wasn't described as the "late ex-husband."

No charges so far.

Copy Cats

Not just once, but at least twice now:

• Five cars were damaged by rocks that were thrown on I-57 on Sunday night, the third such incident on an area expressway in recent days.

  The cars were damaged about 8 p.m. Sunday on northbound I-57 near 147th Street, Illinois State Police District Chicago Sgt. Juan Valenzuela said.

  There was no significant damage to the vehicles, Valenzuela said, though some sustained shattered windows.

  No one is in custody and no one was injured.

It's only a matter of time now. We recall an few incidents in the 1980's where assholes were throwing cinder blocks off the overpasses. One minute, some guy was driving along with his buddy, the next second his buddy was missing his entire head. We think it was on the Eisenhower though it could have been the Stevenson. There's a reason that all the bridges have 6-and-7-foot fences on them in Chicago.

More Construction

No doubt this will prop up our pensions, right? The pensions guaranteed by Illinois law?

• A new $200 million cargo facility on former military land at O'Hare International Airport is expected to open next year.
  
  Aeroterm, which was chosen as developer for the project in 2009 under then-Mayor Richard Daley, plans an 820,000-square-foot facility with an aircraft ramp that can accommodate planes including Boeing's 747-800 series.
  
  The company will cover $130 million of the $200 million cost, with $62 million coming from airport funds. Daley acquired the onetime military land in 1996. The cargo facility will take up 65 acres.
  
  Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the construction project Monday.

Once again, Rahm has money for everything except the things he's obligated by law to pay.

NATO Order Out....

....on Tuesday morning.

Have those babysitters on speed dial and the dog walking service on standby. On second thought, bring the dog to work - maybe you can pretend to be 10-4.

Marine Unit Again

We take the good news where we can find it, and the Marine Unit must be manned by nothing but heroes!

• A 911 call about a boat sinking in Lake Michigan resulted in marine unit police rescuing two men this evening, according to police.
  
  The incident was called in to emergency dispatchers at about 7:30 p.m. about the 28-foot-power boat and resulted in Chicago Police Marine Unit officers responding, police said.
  
  The boat was located about a half-mile off east of Navy Pier in the lake, police said. Police found that the boat was quickly taking in water through its engine shaft, police said. One of the men called police on his cell phone, police said.

All joking aside, another nice job by the guys and gals on the water. It certainly bolsters the case for keeping a decent sized and adequately prepared presence on the lakefront.

Warm Weekend Totals Rise

Not a good weekend for CompStat:

• Three people were shot, one fatally, and another man killed in separate attacks across Chicago Saturday night and Sunday morning.

  A 43-year-old man died after being bound and beaten inside his apartment in the 4500 block of Milwaukee Avenue in Jefferson Park about 1:20 a.m. Sunday, according to police. He was identified as Marek Kaczmarczyk by the Cook County medical examiner's office.

• In Logan Square, a 36-year-old man was shot to death on the 1600 block of North Mozart Drive about 12:15 a.m. Police said the shooting was gang-related but didn't say what gave them that impression.

Maybe the fact that it happened when most decent people are in bed asleep? That'd be our first guess,

The carnage continued from previous shootings:

• A 28-year-old man was pronounced dead this afternoon several days after being found shot in an Ashburn alley, officials said.

And more:

• A 28-year-old pregnant woman found dead in her ransacked South Side apartment Saturday died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to authorities.

And it was an especially bad weekend for traffic deaths. Too bad those speed cameras weren't up and running. They would have solved everything.

Who has the weekend totals?

49 Killed on the South Side

South side of the border that is:

• CADEREYTA JIMENEZ, Mexico (Reuters) - Suspected drug cartel killers in Mexico dumped 49 headless bodies on a highway near the northern city of Monterrey, a sickening atrocity that prompted the government to condemn the "inhuman" violence plaguing the country.
  
  The corpses of 43 men and six women, whose hands and feet had also been cut off, were found in a pile on a highway in the municipality of Cadereyta Jimenez early on Sunday, officials from the state of Nuevo Leon said.
  

It's a good thing Chicago isn't embracing this culture of lawlessness or anything, right?

• Three men — including two members of a Mexican musical group that had just finished performing — were charged with felonies after a late-night birthday celebration in an Hermosa neighborhood residential garage became violent.

  A Mexican ranchera trio had been performing in a garage in the 4700 block of West McLean Avenue when police arrived at 2:40 a.m. May 12 to investigate a noise complaint, prosecutors said.

  As officers approached, one was allegedly punched in the face and tackled by two men – Lino Sarabia-Martinez, 24, and Antonio Villa, 43, both residents of the home, prosecutors said.

  They allegedly tried to unholster the officer’s handgun during a struggle, prosecutors said. When the officer fell to the ground, his baton was taken and used to hit him twice in the head, according to court records. Another officer used a taser on one of the men, prosecutors said.

  A third man, Federico Villa-Martinez, 35, also listed as a resident of the home, allegedly threw a bottle at a police officer before punching him in the nose, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Ericka Graunke said.

Hmmmmm. We're pretty sure it's only a short step from out of control parties to piles of headless corpses being stacked in the streets.

National Award

One of Chicago's own:

• A Chicago Police sergeant was honored at the White House Saturday evening for successfully capturing two assailants in an armed robbery in the Hermosa neighborhood late last year, a made-for-TV incident that also including freeing six victims – three of them children -- who had been bound with duct tape inside the store.
  
  Srgt. Don Jerome, who works in the Grand Central district, received a TOP COPS award from the National Association of Police Organizations and was honored by both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.
  
  He was among 34 police officers from 10 different states honored by the Washington-based group.

Amazingly, the Tribune left the comment section open for this article. Not so amazingly, as of this posting, there isn't a single comment posted. All those so eager to bash the cops are rendered speechless by heroic actions it seems.

In any event, go see the entire story. It's a good read.

NATO Protests Start to Fizzle?

The first doubts creep into the lame-stream media:

• Members of Occupy Chicago and people from across the country gathered in an aging warehouse just outside Chinatown today to discuss their opposition to next weekend's NATO summit and finish planning for the mass protests they will stage during the meetings of world leaders.

  Today's gathering is the first day of a two-day "People's Summit" organized by Occupy Chicago and billed as an alternative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's May 20-21 summit at McCormick Place.

• Although the room where various people spoke this morning was mostly full, it was clear that the event's organizers expected more people to attend. Other rooms streaming a live video feed of the speeches and filled with hundreds of chairs for overflow crowds were either empty or had only a handful of spectators.

Frankly, we think they don't want to be associated with anything that mutant Andy Thayer is the face of.

Showcase Chicago

One pleasant Friday night, and guess what happens?

• A man was found shot to death in an alley in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side this morning , making him the third person slain since last night in shootings that left 17 others wounded citywide.

  Police responded to a call of shots fired at 7:29 a.m. and found the unidentified man in an alley in the 6200 block of South Rhodes Avenue with multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head....

Nice night and three dead, seventeen wounded. But remember, weather has nothing to do with the crime rate. And the crime rate is down anyway, right?

Where are the Protestors Staying?

In the suburbs of course.

An unnamed but highly placed contact of ours gives us a bit of info:

• All of the hotels along Mannheim Road in Stone Park and Schiller Park are booked solid through the NATO summit and are likely to be filled with protestors.
  
  As for NATO planning, the only people that have it together right now are the Illinois State Police.

Brookfield has experienced a spate of NATO/G8 graffiti tied to anarchists who are believed to be operating in the western suburban area.

They're here, so be aware.